Adsorbent packages are typically provided in automotive accumulators and receivers to dehydrate air and refrigerants. Commonly, liquid accumulators for air conditioning systems, such as automotive air conditioning systems, employ a sealed or closed canister which provides temporary storage for the refrigerant and the lubricating oil, and also provides for dehydration of the refrigerant. Typically, the liquid accumulator has a permanently sealed casing which includes a baffle which separates the liquid from the gas component, and also has a generally u-shaped pick up tube or suction tube with a bight portion which has a filtered bleed opening facing the container bottom. The tube also has two legs which extend upwardly toward the baffle at the top in generally, but not necessarily, parallel relationship, one end of which is open to receive an inflow of vaporized refrigerant for delivery to the suction side of the compressor by downward flow past the bottom pick up opening.
One or more desiccant packages are normally carried on or mounted on this u-shaped tube with portions extending from the filtered pick up opening upwardly along the generally parallel portions of the tube extending from the bight. The desiccant package is inserted and sealed within the accumulator prior to its permanent assembly. Accumulators of this general kind are shown in the U.S. patents of Livesay, U.S. Pat. No. 4,291,548 of Sep. 29, 1981, and Kisch U.S. Pat. No. 4,496,378 of Jan. 29, 1985. In some cases, the adsorbent package is mounted directly to the filter.
There is a need in the art to provide a stable mounting of the adsorbent package so that it will not become misaligned or dislodged during use. Such actions could block the filter or result in positioning of the adsorbent packet in the sump area of the accumulator.
In many current accumulator structures, the filter is provided as part of a plastic snap on assembly wherein a mounting ring or clasp grasps the fluid flow tube to provide a mount for the filter. Due to excessive vibration during use, abrasion of the normally fibrous pouch along this ring or clasping mechanism could result in tearing or complete rupture of the package, spilling the contents of the package into the accumulator sump area.
Also worth mentioning is the need for the provision of a nesting area that extends along the adsorbent package in generally parallel relation to the bight tube of the accumulator. This nesting area helps to ensure stable mount of the adsorbent package in the accumulator.